CBSE Class 10 Mathematics

Important Questions
Chapter 9
Some Applications of Trigonometry

1 Marks Questions

1. A man standing on the deck of a ship, which is 10 m above the water level, observes
the angle of elevation of the top of a hill as and the angle of depression of the base
of the hill as . Calculate the distance of the hill from the ship and the height of the
hill.

Ans. Let AB be the ship and CD be the hill.

Let BD = x m

In right

In right

1
Height of the hill = h + 10

= 30 +10 = 40 m

2. A boy is standing on the ground and flying a kite with 100 m of string at an elevation
of . Another boy is standing on the roof of a 20 m high building and is flying his
kite at

an elevation of . Both the boys are on the opposite sides of both the kites. Find the
length of the string that the second boy must have so that the two kites meet.

Ans. AE = 100 m (Given) and DC = 20 m (Given)

Let EF = h m

In right ABE,

2
Now in right

3. The angle of elevation of the top Q of a vertical tower PQ from a point X on the
ground is . At a point Y, 40 m vertically above X, the angle of elevation is , find
the height of the tower PQ and the distance XQ.

Ans. In right

3
In right

In right

4. At the foot of a mountain the elevation of its summit is . After ascending 1000 m
towards the mountain up a slope of inclination, the elevation is found to be .
Find the height of the mountain.

4
Ans. In right

In right

In right

5
5. If the angles of elevation of the top of a tower from two points at distances a and b
from the base and in the same straight line with it are complementary, then the height
of the tower is

(a)

(b) ab

(c)

(d)

Ans. a)

6. If the height of tower is half the height of the flagstaff on it and the angle of elevation
of the top of the tower as seen from a point on the ground is 30 , then the angle of
elevation of the top of the flagstaff as seen from the same point is

(a) 30

(b)45

(c) 60

(d) 90

Ans. (b)45

6
7. As observed from the top of a 75 m tall lighthouse the angles of depression of two
ships are 30 and 45 . If one ship is exactly behind the other on the same side of the
light house, then distance between the two ships is

(a)

(b)

(c) 75

(d)

Ans. (a)

8. The angle of elevation of the top a building from the foot of the tower is 30 and the
angle of elevation of the top of the tower from the foot of the building is 60 . If the
tower is 50 m high, then the height of the building is

(a) 50

(b)

(c)

(d)

Ans. (b)

9. A 1.6 m tall girl stands at a distance of 3.2 m from a lamp post and casts a shadow of
4.8 m on the ground, then the height of the lamp post is

7
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Ans. (a)

10. A tree breaks due to storm and broken part bends so that the top of the tree touches
the ground making an angle of 30 with ground. If the distance between the foot of the
tree to the point where the top touches the ground is 8 m, then the height of the tree is

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Ans. (c)

11. The angle of elevation of the sun when the length of the shadow of a pole is

times, then height of the pole is

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(a) 30

(b) 45

(c) 60

(d) 75

Ans. (a) 30

12. From the figure, the angle of elevation is

(a) 30

(b) 60

(c) 45

(d) 75

Ans. (b) 60

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13. A person walking 20 m towards a chimney in a horizontal line through its bare
observer that its angle of elevation changes from 30 to 45 , then height of chimney is

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Ans. (b)

14. Find height of the tower if length of shadow = 10 m and sun’s altitude = 45 .

(a) 10 m

(b) 12 m

(c) 20 m

(d) none of these

Ans. (a) 10 m

15. If the angles of elevation of a tower from two points at distances a and b where a > b,
from its foot and in the same straight line from it are 30 and 60 , then height of the
tower is

(a)

(b)

(c)

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(d)

Ans. (b)

16. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower from a point on the ground which is 30 m
away from the foot of the tower is 30 , then height of tower is

(a) 10 m

(b) m

(c) m

(d) m

Ans. (a) 10 m

17. If height of the tower = shadow of the tower, then angle of elevation is

(a) 30

(b) 45

(c) 60

(d) 90

Ans. (b) 45

18. If length of shadow = 20 m and angle of elevation = 60 . Then height of tower is

(a) 20 m

(b)

11
(c)

(d)

Ans. (d)

19. A little boy is flying a kite. The string of kite makes an angle of 30 with the ground.
If length of the kite is h = 21 m, then length of string is

(a) 63 m

(b) 42 m

(c) 35 m

(d) 21 m

Ans. (b) 42 m

20. Line joining an eye and the object to be viewed is called

(a) Horizontal

(b) line of sight

(c) Vertical line

(d) None of these

Ans. (b) line of sight

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 CBSE Class 10 Mathematics
Important Questions
Chapter 9
Some Applications of Trigonometry

2 Marks Questions

1. A circus artist is climbing a 20 m long rope, which is tightly stretched and tied from
the top of a vertical pole to the ground. Find the height of the pole, if the angle made by
the rope with the ground level is (see figure).

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

AB = 10 m
Hence, the height of the pole is 10 m.

2. A tree breaks due to storm and the broken part bends so that the top of the tree
touches the ground making an angle with it. The distance between the foot of the
tree to the point where the top touches the ground is 8 m. Find the height of the tree.

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

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 m

Again,

AB = m

Height of the tree = AB + AC

= =

= = m

3. A contractor plans to install two slides for the children to play in a park. For the
children below the age of 5 years, she prefers to have a slide whose top is at a height of
1.5 m and is inclined at an angle of to the ground, whereas for elder children, she
wants to have a steep slide at a height of 3 m and inclined at an angle of to the
ground. What should be the length of the slide in each case?

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

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 AC = 3 m

In right triangle PQR,

PR = m

Hence, the lengths of the slides are 3 m and m respectively.

4. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower from a point on the ground, which is 30 m
away from the foot of the lower is . Find the height of the tower.

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

AB = m

= m

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5. A kite is flying at a height of 60 m above the ground. The string attached to the kite is
temporarily tied to a point on the ground. The inclination of the string with the ground
is Find the length of the string, assuming that there is no slack in the string.

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

AC = m

Hence the length of the string is m.

6. A TV tower stands vertically on a bank of a canal. From a point on the other bank
directly opposite the tower, the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is From
another point 20 m away from this point on the line joining this point to the foot of the
tower, the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is (see figure). Find the height
of the tower and the width of the canal.

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

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 AB = m ……….(i)

In right triangle ABD,

AB = m ……….(ii)

From eq. (i) and (ii),

3BC = BC + 20

BC = 10 m

From eq. (i), AB = m

Hence height of the tower is m and the width of the canal is 10 m.

7. From the top of a 7 m high building, the angle of elevation of the top of a cable tower
is and the angle of depression of its foot is Determine the height of the tower.

17
Ans. In right triangle ABD,

BD = 7 m

AE = 7 m

In right triangle AEC,

CE = m

CD = CE + ED

= CE + AB

= m

18
Hence height of the tower is m.

8. A round balloon of radius r subtends an angle at the eye of the observer while the
angle of the elevation of its centre is . Prove that the height of the centre of the

balloon is r sin cosec

Ans. In right

In right

9. An aeroplane flying horizontally 1 km above the ground is observed at an elevation

19
Ans. In right

In right

Speed =

20
10. From a window (h m high above the ground) of a house in a street, the angles of
elevation and depression of the top and foot of another house on the opposite side of
the street are and respectively, show that the height of the opposite house is

Ans. Let DE = h m

DC = x m

In right

In right

21
Hence Proved.

11. A ladder rests against a wall at an angle to the horizontal. Its foot is pulled away
from the wall through a distance ‘a’ so that it slides a distance ‘b’ down the wall making

an angle ‘ ’ with the horizontal. Show that

Ans. In right

Similarly, in right

22
Hence Proved.

12. A vertical tower stands on a horizontal plane and surmounted by vertical flagstaff
of height h. At a point on the plane, the angles of elevation of the bottom and the top of
the flagstaff are and respectively, Prove that the height of the tower is

Ans. Let AB = Height of tower = H

Let BC = Height of flagstaff = h

In right-angled triangle OAB and OAC,

And

23
Equating value of x, we get

13. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower at a point on the level ground is 30 .
After walking a distance of 100 m towards the foot of the tower along the horizontal
line through the foot of the tower on the same level ground the angle of elevation to the
top of the tower is 60 , find the height of the tower.

Ans. In ,

In

24
14. As observed from the top of light house 100 m high above sea level the angle of
depression of a ship sailing directly towards it changes from 30 to 60 . Determine the
distance travelled by the ship during the period of observation. (Use )

Ans. Let PQ be the light house such that PQ = 100 m. Let A and B be the positions of ship
when the angle of depression changes from 30 to 60 respectively.

Let and BP = y m

From right-angled

From right-angled triangle BPQ,

From (i) and (ii),

25
15. The angles of elevation of the top of a tower from two points P and Q at distances of
a and b respectively from the base and in the same straight line with are
complementary. Prove that the height of the tower is where a > b.

Ans. Let AB be tower of height h. Let P and Q be the given points in the same straight line
with the foot B of the tower.

Let BP = a, BQ = b

From right angled

From right-angled

Multiplying (i) and (ii), we get

26
16. An aeroplane flying horizontally at a height of 1.5 km above the ground is observed
at a certain point on the earth to subtend an angle of 60 . After 15 seconds, its angle of
elevation is observed to be 30 . Calculate the speed of aeroplane in km/hr.

Ans. Let O be the observation point.

Let A be the position of aeroplane such that and

Let B be the position of aeroplane after 15 seconds.

In right

In right

27
 Distance covered in 15 seconds

Distance covered in 1 second =

Distance covered in 3600 seconds =

17. A man is standing on the deck of a ship which is 25 m above water level. He observes
the angle of elevation of the top of a lighthouse as 60 and the angle of depression of
the base of the lighthouse as 45 . Calculate the height of the lighthouse.

Ans. H = Height of lighthouse = h + 25 …….(i)

28
In right

In right

Now

18. An aeroplane when flying at a height of 3125 m form the ground passes vertically
below another aeroplane at an instant when the angle of elevation of the two planes
from the same point on the ground are 30 and 60 respectively. Find the distance
between the two aeroplanes at that instant.

Ans. Let and be the positions of the two aeroplanes

Let

And OM = y

29
Also

19. A boy standing on a horizontal plane finds a bird flying at a distance of 100 m from
him at an elevation of 30 . A girl standing on the roof of 20 m high building finds the
angle of elevation of the same bird to be 45 . Both the boy and the girl are on opposite
side of the bird. Find the distance of the bird from the girl.

Ans. Positions of bird at A, boy at P and girl at B are as shown in figure.

In

Also BC = DQ = 20m

30
In

Hence, the bird is 30 m away from the girl.

20. At a point on level ground, the angle of a elevation of a vertical tower is found to be

such that its tangent is on walking 19.2 m towards the tower, the tangent of the

angle of elevation is . Find the height of tower.

Ans. Suppose height of tower is h meter

In

In

31
21. From the top of a building 60 m high, the angles of depression of the top and bottom
of a vertical lamp post are observed to be 30 and 60 respectively. Find:

(i) the horizontal distance between the building and the lamp post

(ii) the height of the lamp post. [Take ]

Ans. Suppose height of lamppost is h meter.

In

In right

32
By eq. (i) and (ii)

(60 – h) = 20

22. A man standing on the deck of a ship which is 10 m above the water level observes
the angle of elevation of the top of a hill as 60 and the angle of depression of the base
of the hill as 30 . Calculate the distance of the hill from the ship and the height of the
hill.

Ans. Let H = Height of hill

In right

33
In right

Equating the values of x, we get

From H = 10 + h = 10 + 30 = 40 m

And x = distance of hill from ship = 10 m

23. The angle of elevation of a jet-plane from a point P on the ground is 60 . After a
flight of 15 seconds the angle of elevation (change to 30 ). If the jet plane is flying at a
constant height of , find the speed of the jet plane in km/hour.

Ans. Let A be the point on the ground E is the position of aeroplane such that
and

C is the position of plane after 15 seconds

34
In right

In

Distance

Speed =

24. A pole 5 m high is fixed on the top of a tower. The angle of elevation of the top of
pole observed from a point A on the ground is 60 and the angle of depression of the
point A from the top of the tower is 45 . Find the height of the tower. (Take
)

35
Ans. In

In

25. From a window 15 m high above the ground in a street. The angles of elevation and
depression of the top and foot of another house on the opposite side of the street are 30
and 45 respectively. Show that the height of the apposite house is 23.66 m. [Take

36
 ]

Ans. Suppose and

Then, AB =

In

In

Then

37
Height of another house =

26. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower as observed from a point on the ground
is and on moving ‘a’ meter towards the tower. The angle of elevation is prove

that height of tower is

Ans. Let AB b tower and height of tower = h m

In

In

38
27. A TV tower stands vertically on a bank of a canal. From a point on the other bank of
a canal. From a point on the other bank directly opposite the tower, the angle of
elevation of the top of the tower is 60 from a point 20 m away from this point on the
same back the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is 30 . Find the height of the
tower and the width of the canal.

Ans. Let h be the height of tower and x be the width of the river

In

39
In

Equating (i) and (ii),

Put in (i),

40
 CBSE Class 10 Mathematics
Important Questions
Chapter 9
Some Applications of Trigonometry

3 Marks Questions

1. A 1.5 m tall boy is standing at some distance from a 30 m tall building. The angle of
elevation from his eyes to the top of the building increases from to as he walks
towards the building. Find the distance he walked towards the building.

Ans. AB = 30 m and PR = 1.5 m

AC = AB – BC

= AB – PR

= 30 – 1.5

= 28.5 m

In right triangle ACQ,

41
 QC = m

In right triangle ACP,

PQ =

PQ = = m

Hence, the walked towards the building is m.

2. From a point on the ground, the angles of elevation of the bottom and the top of a
transmission tower fixed at the top of a 20 m high building are and
respectively. Find the height of the tower.

42
Ans. Let the height of the tower be m. Then,

in right triangle CBP,

……….(i)

In right triangle ABP,

BP = 20 m

Putting this value in eq. (i), we get,

43
 m

The height of the tower is m.

3. A statue, 1.6 m tall, stands on the top of a postal. From a point on the ground, the
angle of elevation of the top of the statue is and from the same point the angle of
elevation of the top of the pedestal is Find the height of the pedestal.

Ans. Let the height of the pedestal be m.

BC = m

In right triangle ACP,

44
 ……….(i)

In right triangle BCP,

PC =

[From eq. (i)]

4. As observed from the top of a 75 m high lighthouse from the sea-level, the angles of
depression of two ships are and If one ship is exactly behind the other on the
same side of the lighthouse, find the distance between two ships.

45
Ans. In right triangle ABQ,

BQ = 75 m ……….(i)

In right triangle ABP,

[From eq. (i)]

75 + QP =

QP = m

Hence the distance between the two ships is m.

5. A girl who is 1.2 m tall, spots a balloon moving with the wind in a horizontal line at a
height of 88.2 m from the ground. The angle of elevation of the balloon from the eye of
the girl at any instant is . After sometime, the angle of elevation reduces to .

46
Find the distance travelled by the balloon during the interval.

Ans. In right

In right

6. From the top of a tower 96 m high, the angles of depression of two cars on a road at
the same level as the base of the tower and on same side of it are θ and , where

and . Find the distance between the two cars.

47
Ans. In right

In right

48
 CBSE Class 10 Mathematics
Important Questions
Chapter 9
Some Applications of Trigonometry

4 Marks Questions

1. The angle of elevation of the top of a building from the foot of the tower is and
the angle of elevation of the top of the tower from the foot of the building is If the
tower is 50 m high, find the height of the building.

Ans . Let the height of the building be m.

BQ = m ……….(i)

In right triangle ABQ,

BQ = m ……….(ii)

From eq. (i) and (ii),

49
 m

2. Two poles of equal heights are standing opposite each other on either side of the
road, which is 80 m wide. From a point between them on the road, the angles of
elevation of the top of the poles are and respectively. Find the height of the
poles and the distances of the point from the poles.

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

AB = m ……….(i)

In right triangle ABD,

50
 AB = m ……….(ii)

From eq. (i) and (ii),

3BC = BC + 20

BC = 10 m

From eq. (i), AB = m

Hence height of the tower is m and the width of the canal is 10 m.

3. A 1.2 m tall girl spots a balloon moving with the wind in a horizontal line at a height
of 88.2 m from the ground. The angle of elevation of the balloon from the eyes of the
girl at any distant is After some time, the angle of elevation reduces to (see
figure). Find the distance travelled by the balloon during the interval.

Ans. In right triangle ABC,

51
 BC = m

In right triangle PQC,

= 176.4

BQ = =

= = = m

Hence the distance travelled by the balloon during the interval is m.

4. A straight highway leads to the foot of a tower. A man standing at the top of the tower
observes a car at an angle of depression of , which is approaching the foot of the

52
tower with a uniform speed. Six seconds later, the angle of depression of the car is
found to be Find the time taken by the car to reach the foot of the tower from this
point.

Ans. In right triangle ABP,

BP = AB ……….(i)

In right triangle ABQ,

BQ = ……….(ii)

PQ = BP – BQ

PQ = AB = = = 2BQ [From eq. (ii)]

BQ = PQ

53
 Time taken by the car to travel a distance PQ = 6 seconds.

Time taken by the car to travel a distance BQ, i.e. PQ = x 6 = 3 seconds.

Hence, the further time taken by the car to reach the foot of the tower is 3 seconds.

5. The angles of elevation of the top of a tower from two points at a distance of 4 m and
9 m from the base of the tower and in the same straight line with it are complementary.
Prove that the height of the tower is 6 m.

Ans. Let APB =

Then, AQB =

[ APB and AQB are complementary]

In right triangle ABP,

……….(i)

In right triangle ABQ,

54
 ……….(ii)

Multiplying eq. (i) and eq. (ii),

AB2 = 36

AB = 6 m

Hence, the height of the tower is 6 m.

Proved.

55